Warnings: Language. Violence.
Disclaimer: This is a work of FanFiction using characters from the Alex Rider series, intellectual property and copyright of Anthony Horowitz.
Alex snapped his eyes open when he heard the knock on the door. He blinked carefully, the sunlight from his left open curtains hitting his eyes before he rolled over and heard voices through his open window. He stood up when he heard Ben's bedroom door opened and he hurried out of bed and pulled his own door open as Ben walked past, headed for the stairs.
"Morning," Ben mumbled. Alex gave him an amused smirk.
"You look like shit in the mornings."
"Nice to see you too," Ben returned with no bite as he rubbed his eyes and walked down the stairs. Alex took a couple of silent steps as Ben undid the dead lock and pulled the door open. Alex ducked his head when he heard the man groan to see the source of his annoyance as Eagle walked in with a grin.
"Lazy fucker Benjy. Get dressed," Eagle announced. Alex tilted his head to one side at the smile the man had on his face as Snake walked in.
"He was driving me insane," Snake commented with a wry smirk. Alex stood up quickly when the Scot looked at the stairs. "Morning Cub."
Alex took a deep breath and steeled himself to keep up his side of the deal before he took a step down with a plain face. Eagle looked up at him and his grin doubled in width.
"Cub!" Eagle greeted exuberantly. Alex raised an eyebrow at him. "What?"
"Do you normally act like an idiot?" Alex asked in dry tone. The red head stared at him for a second before he laughed, Alex rolled his eyes and walked down the rest of the stairs. "I guess so."
He heard Ben laugh as Alex pushed the front door closed with one hand and pushed past the others and headed for the kitchen to get a cup of coffee. He hesitated for a second and turned in the doorway with a frown. "Am I supposed to offer to make coffee?"
Ben gave him a half smile as he shrugged. "These gits know where the pot is. I'm black –"
"No sugar," Alex finished with a roll of the eyes. "I know."
Alex walked into the kitchen quickly, rubbing the side of his neck where the stitches were as he poured out two mugs of coffee and he placed one on the table as Ben walked in with an amused expression. Alex put his drink down and pulled the fridge open as he peered inside the chilled unit. Ben just took a sip of his coffee as Eagle crept into the room with a shush motion.
"Attention!" Eagle barked loudly. Alex jumped and his head hit the top of the fridge with a thud before he stood up with a scowl. Ben snorted into his coffee and Eagle burst into laughter, Snake just gave him an amused look.
"Motherfucker," Alex muttered as he rubbed the back of his head with a wince. He looked at Ben who was smothering his laugh behind his mug. "You didn't tell me they were coming over."
"I'm as surprised as you, they do this sometimes," Ben shrugged before he nodded at the fridge. "What you looking for?"
"Something for breakfast," Alex muttered as he gave Eagle a warning glare and pulled the unit open again.
"Cereal?" Ben offered. Alex shrugged.
"That'll do," Alex muttered as he took a long swig from his drink and pulled open a cupboard and looked inside with a raised eyebrow, pointedly ignoring the smirk Ben had on his face as he went to open another cupboard.
"The big cupboard in the corner," Ben gestured with one hand and Alex nodded once. "Since when do you eat in the morning?"
"Since I have football training," Alex returned calmly. He felt three pairs of eyes look at his back and he turned with a plain faced expression and a box of Weetabix. Snake looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Problem Snake?"
"Not at all," Snake returned after a brief pause. "I just figured you wouldn't be doing anything physical anytime soon."
Alex gave him a disdainful look before he pulled two of the Weetabix from the box with a frown and dumped them in a bowl. He moved back to the fridge with another glare at Eagle, the man laughed at him as he pulled the milk out.
"You're a right sulk," Eagle commented. Alex turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow. "Almost as bad as Benjy in the morning."
"Stop calling me that," Ben muttered as he kicked the red haired man's leg roughly. Eagle swore and rubbed his shin as he moved out of kicking range and Alex gave them a semi-amused look before he added milk to his bowl. Alex held the bottle out to Eagle and the red haired man looked at it with a confused expression.
"For your coffee," Alex stated as he picked up his bowl and plucked a spoon from the drawer. Eagle took it with a smirk.
"Are you a mind reader?" Eagle asked. Alex looked at him with a dry look.
"You drank coffee while you painted the lounge. I'm a spy. I'm sure you can figure out the rest," Alex responded as he dropped the spoon into the bowl and picked up his mug. Ben watched him go with a small smirk and Alex rolled his eyes.
"What time you got training?" Ben asked. Alex paused in the doorway.
"About an hour, I'll be out all day."
"Training?" Ben asked.
"Yes Benjy," Alex replied dismissively as he left the room and walked back upstairs to get himself ready to get out of the house and back into some form of reality that didn't involve conversations with a spy and two SAS soldiers.
"Was that a psych out?" Eagle asked after the front door had closed behind the blonde. Ben looked at him and nodded.
"Did it to me as well," Snake commented with a smirk. "Funny right?"
"Not funny "haha"," Eagle said as he sat down at the table with amused eyes. "More funny "we're so fucked"."
"I did warn you," Ben commented with a laugh. Snake made a non-committal noise and took a sip of his coffee.
"Whatever. Stuff seems better?"
"He's given up with the arrogant act since that twat was here last week," Ben agreed, Snake nodded his agreement and Eagle looked between them with a curious look.
"What twat?"
"Old guardian," Ben commented with a dismissive look. "Came in here shouting his mouth off at him about staying away from his family or some shit."
"Cub's ex seemed more upset than him," Snake commented. Eagle looked at him with a grin. "Don't look like that it wasn't nice, Derek."
"So why does he have to stay away from them? I wouldn't say he's a bad kid," Eagle said with a frown. "Bit of a shit maybe, but not a bad kid."
"They took him in and tried to get him to adjust to civilian life," Ben returned with another sip of his coffee. Eagle's eyebrows rose ever so slightly. "To be fair to Alex he just stood there and took everything they said. He only reacted when the guy accidently hit his friend."
"Accidentally?" Eagle echoed with a disbelieving expression.
"Looked like it, she was trying to say goodbye to Alex and her father obviously thought enough was enough so tried to drag her out the room," Ben explained. "Can't say I blame Alex. I would probably have throttled the twat rather than just restrain him though."
"Damn right," Eagle agreed as he took a sip of his drink. "So that drastic thing happened."
Ben laughed and shrugged. "Apparently so, not that I'm complaining, I can live with him now at least."
"Looks better than just being able to live with him," Snake commented. "It seemed almost friendly."
Ben felt himself laugh as he shook his head. "Maybe in relation to what you two are like with him. We still doing drinks here tomorrow night?"
"Of course," Eagle said as he leant back and slouched down in his seat. "We got to get you and Luke on talking terms. He's a lot less grouchy now."
"Well that's something. I can let Alex know so he can get out of the house or whatever," Ben commented. "Not so sure that's a reunion I want to see."
"I don't know," Eagle said as he leant forward with a mischievous look. "I like this Cub. He could be fun to put with Luke."
"I'm not refereeing that," Snake said as he placed his cup down on the table. Ben felt a laugh leave his mouth again and he leant his head over the back of the chair with a look at Snake.
"You know it will happen. If I get lumped with this, you all do," Ben said with a smirk. Snake groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I can already feel the headache."
"I'd like to see that," Eagle said with a grin at Ben. "We should scheme."
Snake took a drink from his mug with a tut. "Just don't even bother. Someone will end up either hurt or dead if you put those two together now."
"Someone?" Eagle asked incredulously. "We all know how hard Luke can hit."
"I don't think Alex would aim to hurt him physically," Ben commented with a smirk. Eagle's mouth fell open before it twisted into a grin.
"We have to make this happen," Eagle said seriously as he leant forwards. "I'd love to see a smart mouth against Luke's meat head. You have to admit the thought is funny."
Ben laughed as Snake slid down in his chair with a groan. "I'm going to agree with Quinn and say not this week. I've got to talk my way out of shit first."
"So boring. The pair of you," Eagle grumbled as he took a drink from his mug. Ben felt the smile on his face as he realised Eagle was really just as pleased at that response as he was at the thought of Wolf and Alex going toe to toe. Ben looked at Snake with a raised eyebrow.
"Gym?" he asked. Snake nodded and Eagle grinned.
"With Derek."
"Yay," Ben muttered as he drained his coffee and ran upstairs to get changed into his gym gear leaving an indignant Eagle behind him.
Alex pushed the front door open with a yawn that evening and glanced into the kitchen, he frowned to himself when he saw the back door open and peered his head through to try to see if Ben was outside. He paused when he heard laughter followed by a crash. Alex tilted his head to one side and crossed the kitchen to see Ben laughing over Eagle who apparently had fallen backwards into the shed. He felt his lips tilt upwards as Ben didn't offer to help him out and instead laughed more as Eagle swore when something else in the shed fell over.
"Funny?" Snake said quietly. Alex span his head to see the Scot smoking a cigarette leant against the house with a smirk as he watched the pair.
"What are they doing?" Alex asked with a humoured tone as Eagle and Ben moved back to the centre of the garden.
"Combat training," Snake returned simply. Alex raised an eyebrow at him but Snake didn't catch the gesture and Alex turned his eyes back to the garden as Eagle lunged forwards and Ben blocked a jab easily.
"Why?"
"Not my place to say," Snake commented offhandedly. Alex looked at him to see Snake give a pointed look at Ben.
"Ben's alright at hand to hand though," Alex returned quietly as he turned his eyes back to see Eagle grab Ben's neck and twist him to the ground easily. Alex raised an eyebrow at the scene. "Or not."
"He will be," Snake agreed, Alex looked at him with a frown and the medic gave him a smirk. Alex felt his mind twist in confusion and he looked at Ben carefully as he moved, noting the hesitant movements that were once fluid.
"He's not fluid," Alex stated simply. Snake looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "I mean he's hesitating. He doesn't want to hit Eagle for some reason."
"Damn spies," Snake said quietly. Alex looked at him sharply. "You think he'd hit me?"
"Maybe. I have a better idea though," Alex returned. Snake looked at him with a raised eyebrow and as Alex dropped his bag to the floor. The Scot opened his mouth to say something and Alex just gave him a sarcastic smile as he jogged down the steps and walked over to the pair with an over exaggerated confident stride. Eagle spared him a look and Ben managed to land a punch to the red haired man's stomach. Alex caught the next fist in a firm hand and Ben looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Stop slacking," Alex said with plain face. He saw Ben look between the fist and his face and Alex ducked when Ben brought his leg around, ignoring the strain before he sent an uppercut towards Ben's head with a smirk.
"I'm slacking?" Ben questioned as Alex took a step back.
"You're thinking too much." Alex returned calmly. Ben paused and narrowed his eyes suspiciously. Alex rammed the fist Ben aimed for his face off to one side with his arm and Alex twisted quickly so he was behind Ben's back and grabbed the man's neck. Ben immediately twisted and Alex felt the punch connect with his stomach that was pulled just in time. Alex tensed and yanked Ben to the floor roughly before he placed a hand against his throat.
"Well fuck you too," Ben murmured, Alex smirked and offered him a hand up. Ben took it with a faintly surprised expression as Alex tilted his head to one side curiously.
"You've changed something," Alex mused. He saw Ben tense, and he shrugged. "Fight like that on one of our assignments and you're a dead man."
Alex turned and saw Snake and Eagle talking at the bottom of the decking where he'd left his bag, Snake looked at him with a small nod. Alex started walking back towards them when he heard one footstep behind him and held one arm up with a surprised look on his face. Immediately there was another arm brought around and Alex span away with a huff of laughter.
"Nice try," Alex said with a smirk. Ben gave him a challenging look and the blonde felt the smirk leave his lips as Ben lunged at him. Alex winced when his back hit the floor and he blocked the fist aiming for his head quickly. Bringing a knee up into Ben's stomach and he scrambled upwards, ignoring the pull on the bandage on his chest as he dropped into defensive and Ben went for him again. "Faster than that."
Ben swung his left around quickly and Alex leant back with a raised eyebrow and smirk. Ben paused for a second with a slight frown and Alex hooked his knee out from behind him in that one second, Ben landed on his back with a scowl and Alex put a foot over his throat.
"You're antagonising me," Ben commented, Alex shrugged and offered him a hand up again. Ben took it with a narrowed eye look.
"It's easy too," Alex returned calmly. "I know you're better than this. Unless we're doing form fighting I shouldn't stand a chance against you with your weight and conditioning."
"Act like that shitty teenager thing you do then," Ben muttered as he stretched his legs. Alex smirked and raised an eyebrow at him. Ben reciprocated the look and Alex barely deflected the punch from the right. He scoffed and gave Ben a smug look.
"Too slow Benjy."
"Motherfucker," Ben muttered as he swung again and Alex span away quickly with a laugh just to feel a pulled left punch to the ribs. Ben latched one leg around the back of his knee quicker than Alex expected and he felt the shove to his shoulder. Alex rolled away with a smirk on his face and hooked his leg around Ben's ankle. He scrambled to his feet with a smug smile as Ben did the same and the older man growled before he moved forwards again. Alex felt the snap and he dropped himself into defensive easily, blocking the most he could and he felt the expression on his face drop as he concentrated on pre-meditating Ben's movements and blocking them rather than winding him up any further. Ben started to lag in his movements again and Alex immediately swung one arm around towards his face at the open opportunity pushing himself into an offensive position.
"Slacking again. Come on Ben," Alex said with a laugh. Ben scowled at him and Alex ducked from the fist he managed to get through with a surprised look.
"And you say I'm slacking," Ben stated with a quirked eyebrow as Alex lazily blocked a left hook.
"Thought you'd never ask," Alex returned as he brought a knee up towards the man's groin. Ben twisted away from with a scorned look. "Nothing's too low in a fist fight Ben."
"If that's the way you want to play it," Ben agreed as he aimed a knee towards the small of Alex's back and one hand grabbed his neck as Ben pushed him to the floor, one hand under his shoulders to soften the fall that would have been otherwise excruciating. Alex let out a surprised laugh and Ben looked at him with an amused look.
"Holy crap. That was better," Alex acknowledged the remnants of his laugh on his face. Ben grinned and offered his hand. Alex looked at it for a second before he grabbed it and Ben pulled him to his feet. Ben let out a soft laugh and nodded at the decking.
"How awkward do they look?" Ben asked. Alex glanced over his shoulder to see the other two watching them with confused expressions and Alex shrugged.
"Who cares. What were you thinking about?"
"Nothing," Ben replied, Alex caught the tense at that question and raised an eyebrow at him. "You don't believe me."
"No," Alex confirmed with a smirk. Ben ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath.
"Damn spies," Ben commented easily. Alex gave him an amused look before he headed back towards the decking. He heard Ben follow after him and Snake held up the gym bag with one hand as he approached. Alex looked at it warily before he took it and slung it over one shoulder.
"Thanks," Alex murmured quietly.
"How was training?" Ben asked quickly. Alex turned to look at him with a shrug.
"Nowhere near as fun as that was," Alex returned calmly. He looked at Eagle with a narrow eyed look. "You're faster with your left by the way. I have no idea why you go right first."
Eagle's eyes opened a little in surprise and Alex gave him a shrug before he walked past the pair and back into the kitchen. He took a bottle of water from the fridge and moved back to the door as Ben and Eagle retook their positions in the centre of the garden again. He leant against the door frame as Eagle punched with his left first and Ben started responding. He heard Snake give a disbelieving huff of laughter and Alex stood upright as the medic looked at him with an amused expression. Alex just gave Snake a small nod before he yawned and headed back into the house and up to his room to do more coursework.
Ben took the beer and threw his feet up on his coffee table as Snake slumped onto the sofa at the other end. Eagle shoved the DVD they were watching into the tray and turned with the remote in his hand.
"You want to ask Cub if he wants to watch it?" Eagle asked with a frown. Ben glanced at the ceiling before he shook his head.
"If he wanted company he'd be down here," Ben replied calmly. Snake gave him an amused look and Ben raised an eyebrow at him. "What?"
"Just thinking I can see why they partnered you," Snake said with a shrug. Ben rolled the beer bottle in his hands with a smirk, "He challenges you."
"He knows how to annoy me."
"Like that combat training?" Eagle asked as he picked up his beer from the coffee table and sat on the second sofa. Ben thought about that for a second before he nodded.
"Pretty much," Ben agreed with a frown, "I'm pleasantly surprised he got involved at all."
"He could see you were hesitant about hitting Derek," Snake explained, "I asked if he thought you would hit me and he just walked over after giving me a sarcastic look."
"Perceptive," Eagle stated with a small laugh. Ben felt a smile appear on his face.
"I wouldn't normally hit him to be fair, he just knows how to get under my skin with just a couple of words," Ben explained, Snake raised an eyebrow at him. "Just taunts and stuff."
"Well it worked. I'm not going to complain," Snake said simply. The door clicked open upstairs and Ben put a finger on his lips as quiet footsteps walked down the stairs. Ben leant his head back on the sofa when he heard them pass the door.
"You want some takeaway? We're ordering Indian," Ben said loudly. He heard the footsteps stop and Alex's head appeared in the doorway with a frown.
"Can I just have a naan?"
"That all?" Ben asked. Alex nodded. "You ate at training?"
"Yeah," Alex agreed a bit too quick for it to be completely honest. Ben was going to question it before he nodded.
"How's the course work?"
"Shit but getting there," Alex returned with a shrug as he looked at the TV. "What you watching?"
"James Bond," Eagle replied with a smirk. Alex gave the red haired man an unamused look.
"That's real original Eagle," Alex commented sarcastically. Ben laughed and Alex looked at the beers. "You guys don't want a coffee?"
"Nah, drinking," Snake replied as he turned his head round with a smile and held up his bottle. Alex nodded and Ben frowned slightly.
"We're doing unit drinks here tomorrow," Ben said carefully. Alex tilted his head and Ben looked thoughtful for a second and Alex's eyes widened slightly.
"Wolf?" Alex asked plainly. Ben didn't miss the way Alex didn't seem to sound all that bothered and he nodded once in response. Alex looked to think something over for a second before he shrugged. "I'll stay out of the way."
"I doubt he'd say anything," Snake commented easily. Alex gave him an amused look.
"I don't give a crap about that," Alex said with a non-caring expression, "But I figure Wolf and Ben have a few things to sort."
Ben felt himself tense and knew it wasn't missed as Alex's lips tilted upwards at the sides, he took a swig of his beer before he spoke. "You talking about that argument you walked into?"
"What argument?" Alex asked with a confused look.
"The night you turned up here."
Alex frowned before realisation showed on his face. "Oh no, Jones had to tell me I even came here. I remember fuck all after getting off the coach at Victoria."
"Nothing?" Eagle asked with a confused look.
"I remember it was cold and that I was too slow at walking," Alex frowned for a second. "Actually I remember I was going to go to sleep outside a library. I should have just done that, it would have been easier."
Ben snapped his head up to look at Alex as he pushed himself away from the doorframe and the blonde padded into the kitchen. Ben heard the kettle being flicked on and Ben turned his eyes to look at the coffee table with a frown. He pushed himself to his feet and Eagle shook his head at him quickly. Ben gave him a questioning look and Snake grabbed his wrist and pulled him back down on the sofa with a pointed look. Ben bounced his leg as he heard coffee being tipped into a mug and went to lean forwards as Alex walked passed again, only for Snake to push his shoulders back onto the sofa. Ben frowned and gave him a questioning look that Snake didn't respond too and he took a swig of his beer instead. Eagle laughed the minute the door upstairs clicked closed and Ben gave him an annoyed look.
"Sorry, your curiosity is the funniest thing," Eagle said through his laughter. Ben just rolled his eyes and looked at Snake as Eagle tried to take a deep breath. Snake shrugged with an amused smile.
"Just tell me why you did that?" Ben asked with a confused tone, "I was only going to ask him what he meant."
"You think he would have answered you?" Snake asked with a smirk. Ben clicked his mouth closed and pinched his lips together.
"Fine," Ben edged. "As you guys have this whole super Cub understanding thing. Do I ever mention that again?"
"No." Eagle said with a shrug. Ben leant his head back on the sofa as he thought the words over. Ben shut his eyes with a deep breath and read the sentence backwards slowly. He snapped his eyes open and lifted his head with a frown when realisation of what the sentence meant and he looked to the ceiling, he saw Eagle and Snake give him questioning looks and Ben ran a hand over his face at his own stupidity. He looked at the pair of them, considering his words carefully before he spoke in a quiet tone.
"He doesn't think he's worth helping."
"Mr Constantine is here to see you Mr Davies."
Davies looked at the short, demure woman as she peered through the door and kept her eyes averted from the scene. He nodded once and held up a hand. The woman disappeared through the opening immediately as Doctor Three held up the pair of pliers with a tilted to the side head as he looked at the blonde man strapped into the seat. Cold blue eyes turned his eyes back to look at the man sat on the opposite side of the table.
"You need to tell us," Davies stated. "How Rider got away and what he got away with."
"I already told you!" Prudek yelled in desperation. Three stepped forwards and eased a pinky finger in between the pliers. Prudek yanked back on the arm restraints, "Padre said he would sort it."
"Padre is a little caught up currently."
"I want to speak with him," Prudek demanded, Davies leant forwards with an amused look.
"You are hardly in a position to be making demands Dimitri," Davies returned with a smirk. "Padre is working on clearing up the mess you made. We need to know what Rider took from you."
"Nothing!" Prudek yelled.
"Take it off," Davies stated simply. Three gave a dirty little smile as he squeezed the handles together on the pliers. Davies stood up with a sigh as Prudek started screaming, he looked directly at Three. "Do what you must, find out the information. If he dies in the process, so be it."
"Of course," Three agreed with a dirty smirk as the pliers clicked together and he held up a pinky finger in front of Prudek's face. Davies walked from the room without looking back and headed towards the office at the end of the corridor. He encountered nobody on the journey, not that he expected too, they kept their employee's sparse in order to hold secrecy. All 47 operatives under their command were operational, positioned in various positions in intelligence agencies and other criminal establishments while they primed the underground training area on the small island of Furugelm.
Davies pushed against one wall, the concealed door giving way to a plush office deep within the basement levels of the facility. It wasn't his office of course, it was Triglav's, the leader of the operation known formally as Libra and the man that very soon would have acquired another outlet from Prudek, another tiny building block in a much bigger plan. Davies pushed the door closed behind him as there was a pained yell echoing down the hall and his lips tilted upwards at the side as he spotted the blonde head of hair sat near to his desk reading a file.
"Constantine," Davies greeted formerly as he approached the desk and sat down on the opposite side of it. The assassin looked at him plainly and nodded once.
"Davies."
Davies smirked at that, it wasn't his real name. But it was his most common. "You have taken a particular interest in my files."
"I am curious," Constantine agreed as he placed the file back on the desk gently. "It is quite an amazing feat you have managed to arrange. My partner sends his regards for the Bolivian operation last month."
"Of course," Davies agreed with a curt nod. "He sends notification of the agents he wishes to negotiate with?"
"No," Constantine replied calmly his lips twitching at the sides. "I will negotiate on his behalf."
"I'm afraid the terms are laid out by Triglav prior to each operation of our requirements."
"I believe I can offer you something better," Constantine replied simply. Davies looked at him with slightly narrowed eyes and gestured his onwards. "You are building towards something much bigger than any of us anticipated. I however feel my services have almost run their course with my superior and am curious as to what other offers lay on the table."
There was a long pause and Davies picked up the file and flicked it open with one hand. "You are offering your services to us?"
"For a fee of course," Constantine agreed.
"Your price?" Davies asked bluntly. Constantine almost smiled at that and he leant back in his chair. Davies spotted the pistol concealed at his hip and raised an eyebrow in question.
"No literal price," Constantine commented. "Aside from living costs, I require nothing. I do however wish to be involved on your plans."
"Your face is recognisable," Davies stated.
"As is yours, just not to the authorities," Constantine agreed. "I am an assassin Davies, not an undercover operative. From what I understand you are severely lacking any with my personal skills."
Davies shut the file and leant back in his chair with a smirk and nodded once. "As a primary skill set, we are. Why do you feel that is something we would need?"
"I understand you currently have Prudek in a cell here," Constantine commented calmly. "I expect very soon he shall be dead and the corporation known as Biosyn Technologies to be claimed by someone no one in our allegiance recognises, despite Prudek's obviously deviant choices in treatments. Treatments that could be called effective in allowing previously unwilling operatives to perform to another's command."
"The treatments you speak of are not complete," Davies commented offhandedly. "They are experimental at best."
"And yet you seek to obtain them."
"Naturally," Davies agreed. "The income from Biosyn's legal treatments shouldn't go to waste."
Constantine leant forwards in his chair with his own knowing smirk on his face. "We both know there is more to this. As do many of the other, younger, officials in the affiliations you have made."
Davies narrowed his eyes gently. "A belief you can run an organisation the size of the one you are currently a part of is a big claim André."
"I do not claim as such," Constantine stated as he sat up with a straight back. "I do not wish to lead anything, least of all an organisation that bears no interest to me. However the organisation itself holds prospects, be it the operatives or the products."
"The Australian?"
"None of my concern," Constantine replied calmly. "It should be known however he has become lackadaisical and rather volatile."
"And you come to us why?"
"I do not wish to be caught in the crossfire."
There was a long silence following that statement and Davies looked at the blonde man sat opposite him carefully. His face was plain, he had long since emerged as one of the most dangerous assassins in the world following Gregorovich's death. His personality was to remain loyal to those he worked for, having done so when Scorpia had gone under and choosing to keep his allegiance with one of the few remaining leaders of the old corporation.
In all, he was an asset. Lethal, professional, emotionless in all the right ways. Davies met his eye again for a second before he nodded once.
"I will consult your offer with Triglav and Welsh," Davies stated simply. Constantine leant back in the chair with a thoughtful look.
"And of Padre?"
"Padre will in fact be disposed of rather soon after concealing a British military operative from our notice in association with Prudek," Davies replied calmly. "However, I would believe this comes as no surprise to you."
"Very good Davies," Constantine's lips rose at the sides. "I expected nothing less."
Davies made no move to pull his weapon as he instead reciprocated the expression. "You have a copy of the details?"
"Of course," Constantine agreed. "I am not so foolish to arrive without a very tempting offer, one beyond being the closest operative and therefore the easiest to get to The Australian."
Davies let out a short and almost condescending laugh at that. "I shall make it an urgent consultation with Triglav and Welsh."
"I shall leave my details with you then," Constantine agreed as he slid a card onto the desk from his sleeve. "One week the number will change. I trust you shall be able to find me by other means should situations lead to it taking longer."
"Yes," Davies agreed simply as he took the card and placed it on front of him, not willing to put it in his pocket in current company. Constantine stood and Davies mimicked the movement as the man walked for the door. "What timescale are we looking at critical action on an intercept based on the drive details?"
"Third week of July."
Davies watched the blonde haired man disappear out of the room with calculating eyes before he sat down with a thoughtful look at the card. He felt his lips tilt at the side when he read the normal looking business card of one of Biosyn's biggest and well protected investors. An investor with enough knowledge that Davies himself had noted the man as a risk. An investor that had American authorities in a panic when he turned up dead the night before in his heavily secured home in New York just one year after he hit the top 100 wealthiest men in the world listing.
Adrijan Pavic
Mergers and Acquisitions Specialist
Davies flipped the card with a raised eyebrow to see an international number scribbled on the back in pencil. The corner of the card was tainted a deep red brown, almost as if the card had been purposefully dipped in blood on one corner as proof. Davies pulled one of the envelopes from the drawer beside him and slid the card inside to send for DNA testing that Pavic was indeed dead, before he picked up the phone to make contact with the relevant people.
Constantine would be quite the addition.
Alex sighed when he heard the shouting from downstairs and he placed his pencil down on the pad of paper a little hard than was needed as he waited to hear if there was another yell. He picked up the pencil again after counting to ten and started reading through the English Literature passage he was meant to be analysing as there was another yell. He threw his pencil down and shoved his chair away from the desk.
The first tendrils of a sleep deprived headache were seeping into his brain and he was attempting to concentrate. In short terms he was in no mood to be pissed off.
Alex yanked his door open and stomped down the stairs, hearing the yells coming from the kitchen. It seemed to be a pretty one side argument and Alex pushed past Eagle who was leant against the doorframe with an exasperated face to see Wolf red in the face and Ben gesturing with his hands as he spoke with his back to the door.
"What do you want me to do Wolf?" Ben asked in a rough tone. Alex nudged Snake gently and the medic looked at him with a somewhat helpless expression and a shrug.
"Say fucking no!" Wolf bellowed, Alex winced slightly as the sound cut into his ears.
"You think I didn't do that already?" Ben asked as he stood up. Alex felt as Snake and Eagle tensed on either side of him and he looked at them both with amused expressions. It was Wolf's fist clenching together that made him sigh and walk into the room and stand in front of Ben with a disdainful look at Wolf.
"You really don't want to hit him," Alex stated plainly. Wolf blinked in surprise as Ben took a deep breath behind him.
"Don't get involved," Ben said as he placed a hand on Alex's shoulder. The blonde looked at it with a raised eyebrow before he gave Ben a disdainful look. "I mean it Alex. Move."
"Not a hope in hell," Alex responded, Ben's face morphed into a glare.
"You don't have to stick up for me."
"Yeah Cub, run along and play with your friends," Wolf said in a smug tone. Alex raised an eyebrow at him and tilted his head to one side.
"Cub now is it? What happened to Double O Nothing?" Alex asked in a plain tone, Wolf's mouth clicked closed and he felt Ben put pressure on his shoulder to move. Alex did but not out of the way, instead he just turned and looked at Ben with a plain expression. "What are you arguing about?"
"Nothing," Ben returned in a cold tone. Alex took a deep breath and looked at Snake with a pointed look that changed to disdainful when the medic didn't immediately respond.
"Croatia," Snake said with a shrug. Alex quirked an eyebrow up at that and let out a small laugh.
"You are joking," Alex saw Ben tense at the laugh and he looked at the dark haired man carefully. "Idiots, the pair of you. Especially you, Ben."
"What?" Ben snapped.
"You have enough brains to not get so pissed about something as clean cut as that operation," Alex stated with a sigh.
"Leaving a 17 year old to die on a rooftop isn't exactly clean cut," Ben stated in a tone Alex knew was carefully measured by the twitch of a muscle in the side of Ben's neck.
"Well what were you going to do about it?" Alex countered quickly with an even look at Ben as he took a step away from between the two men to see both of them when Wolf spoke again.
"You haven't got to defend my decision," Wolf said in a low even tone, his eyes fixed on Ben. Alex scoffed and looked at the unit leader with a smirk.
"Of everyone in the room, defending your decision is the lowest on my priorities list Wolf," Alex returned in a dispassionate tone. Wolf flinched before he looked at him with a sneer. "I'm defending my own."
"You could have died Alex!" Ben exclaimed in a serious tone.
"I make the decision to do the operations. I know the risks," Alex returned with a pointed look.
"You shouldn't be there," Wolf spat. Alex looked at him with a smirk. "It's not funny brat."
"Again with the names," Alex said as he rolled his eyes and dropped the expression. "I choose to be there Wolf. Deal with it, or shut up."
"Don't tell me to shut up kid," Wolf spat aiming a glare at the young spy. Alex turned to look at the unit leader with a raised eyebrow before he shook his head slightly.
"You don't change. All glares and loud yells." Wolf's fists clenched at that and Alex glanced at Ben and Snake as he saw them tense in the corner of his eye, before dragging his eyes back to Wolf. "You really need to stop with this "Cub is a kid" crap Wolf."
"You are a kid," Wolf snapped. Alex smirked at that and he saw the fists clench again.
"Cub-" Snake started before Alex gave him a dismissive look. The medic clicked his mouth closed and Alex turned his eyes back to Wolf who was sneering at the ground.
"Run out of original stuff to say?" Alex asked calmly. He felt Ben tense beside him again and Wolf snapped his head up with a scowl.
"You're such an infuriating little shit." Wolf spat. Alex shrugged, and Wolf's fists clenched again. "Even Fox agrees with me on that."
"Fucking tattletale," Ben muttered in a sullen tone from beside him. Alex shifted his weight on his feet to detract from the tensing of muscles at that statement.
"I'm supposed to be bothered?" Alex asked with a somewhat amused smirk. Wolf glared at him.
"No wonder that family ditched you, you're nothing more than a little git," Wolf spat. Alex fully tensed in response to that, thinking to himself that Wolf had no fucking right to even comment before he crossed his arms and lifted an eyebrow imperiously.
"We can't all have a nice family Wolf," Alex countered waspishly. Wolf's mouth clicked closed and Alex felt a hand on his shoulder, he knew Ben would have recognised the signs and he internally sighed.
"That's enough," Ben said seriously. Alex looked at him curiously and Ben shook her head with a pointed look. Alex dropped the arms from across his chest with a lingering smug look at Wolf as he took a step back.
"They ditched you because you lied," Wolf spat. Alex gave him a small nod. "Figures."
"How'd you work that one out?" Alex asked with a smirk. Wolf returned the expression.
"You're a spy, lies are natural."
"You're SAS only good for brute force," Alex responded dismissively as he knocked Ben's hand of his shoulder. "If I remember right though, you weren't too bad at lying yourself. Good enough to get me out of that hospital in France at least."
Wolf blinked once in response to that and Alex felt Ben tense beside him, he looked over his shoulder to see Ben's plain game face on and he glanced at Snake whose eyes had widened. Eagle was the last he looked at and the man let out a disbelieving huff of laughter.
"What?" Eagle breathed, the remnants of the laugh leaving his face as he looked at Alex.
"You never told them," Alex stated with a customary teenage smirk on his face once again. "You're a fucking hypocrite as well then."
Ben stepped around him with a frown on his face, "Luke?"
"It's classified," Wolf returned carefully. Alex watched Ben's eyebrows rise as Wolf glowered back at the blonde. Alex kept his eyes on Wolf as the silence and tension grew around them. Wolf's eyes narrowed before he blinked once and looked away. Alex let out a huff of condescending laughter and turned away towards the door.
"Right, I'm just going to leave you to sort this out then," Alex said as he headed for the door. He felt a hand snag his wrist in a tight grip and turned to find Ben looking at him with a serious expression.
"Not a hope in hell," Ben stated. Alex scoffed and went to yank his wrist away when Ben gave him a look that almost looked like he was asking for help. Alex hesitated for a second and he knew Ben would have seen it. Mentally he swore at himself and knew he couldn't rightly leave now without looking like a complete ass. Alex forced himself to relax and he felt Ben let go of his wrist in response to it as the dark haired man looked back at Wolf. "You worked with him? After all the shit you've given me."
"It was once," Wolf stated with a disdainful look at Alex. "And I never even meant for it to happen."
"And you think I did?!" Ben exclaimed, Wolf flinched at that and Alex smirked as he looked between them. "I never wanted to be partnered. I would never have even signed a damn contract if I knew Alex was still there after my first secondment."
"In fairness I never wanted to see any of you ever again," Alex supplied offhandedly. He felt four pairs of eyes look at him and he held himself still, crushing the urge to shift uncomfortably. Wolf narrowed his eyes at him.
"Then why did you even come here?"
"I don't know," Alex admitted simply. "I don't remember why I decided to come here. I should have gone straight to SO."
"You would never have made it to the office," Ben stated with a deep breath. "I gave you my address in case of an emergency a few months ago, and that was exactly what it was."
"Lucky the brat didn't pick up a tail on the way." Wolf muttered, Alex restrained his glare and instead clenched a fist at his side.
"I'm not that stupid. I got rid of my tail in Paris," Alex said stiffly, "It's bad enough I even came here. Working as partners gets people killed Wolf."
"That's cold," Eagle commented quietly. Alex gave him a raised eyebrow look.
"That's espionage," Alex returned steadily with a shrug before he turned his eyes back to Wolf. "You really have no right to judge something you don't understand."
"I do understand," Wolf insisted. Alex raised an eyebrow at him and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Then why the hell are you being so childish?" Alex asked waspishly. Wolf glared at him.
"Little shit," Wolf spat.
"When are you going to get it into your head that names don't hurt me. I'd sooner you punch me because it's not quite so pathetic," Alex responded with his own glare.
"You have no idea what happened in Baghdad kid," Wolf hissed. Alex felt the room tense and he scanned each face quickly.
"Your team got hurt," Alex countered, ignoring the various signs of surprise on people's faces. "You felt guilty for it."
"That's not –"
"Tell me I'm wrong and I will say one word to disprove it," Alex stated with an overconfident smirk. Wolf looked at him carefully before he shook his head.
"You're wrong."
Alex pinched his lips together before he shrugged. "Cougar."
Alex didn't have time to duck before he felt the sharp sting of knuckles against his face. The tense silence was broken as there were surprised yells from the others and the sounds of chairs scraping back against the tiled floor. Alex shook his head gently, when he had landed on the floor and eased himself to his feet. Ben came to stand by his side as tense as a bowstring and Wolf was being spoken to in low tones by Snake while Eagle was grasping his shoulders with white knuckled hands. Snake moved away a second later and stood to one side looking between the two of them warily.
"Thank you," Alex said simply. Wolf's scowl fell away to be replaced by a look of confusion and Alex shrugged. "I've wanted someone to do that for a while."
"Why?" Wolf asked, obviously confused.
"Because Stevens wouldn't have died if I hadn't fucked up that jump," Alex stated in a carefully measured tone. Wolf and Snake shared a look and the medic took a step forwards with a calculating look at Alex.
"You knew Cougar?" Snake asked. Alex nodded
"He was someone that was sent to bring me in for an assignment."
"You worked with him?" Wolf asked brusquely.
"Only in Croatia. Before that we just had a chat, a friendly hello here and there, that sort of thing," Alex admitted. "He was one of the few that didn't immediately react like you four did when I turned up in Wales."
"That was a long time ago," Ben said cautiously. Alex gave him an amused look.
"Of course it was. I don't give two flying fucks." Alex returned, "If I did I wouldn't have bothered even coming down here."
"Why did you?" Wolf asked gruffly with a frown. Alex shrugged.
"Because I have two months of coursework to catch up on and you idiots are distracting me," Alex returned seriously. Ben looked at him with a disbelieving look. "The pair of you need to drop it, because I'm not stopping doing the assignments. What that does to your friendship is your deal, but if you both seem to hate me so much, why fall out over it?"
Wolf pushed his lips together with a look at Ben and the elder spy nodded his acknowledgement of the phrasing. Alex hid the not-so-small amount of hurt from Ben's gesture before he looked between the two of them and walked to the freezer. He pulled out a couple of ice cubes and grabbed a kitchen towel and wrapped them in it. He twisted the end and held it tight in one hand.
"That's going to bruise a good 'un," Wolf commented brusquely. Alex made an uncaring expression and shrugged.
"Worth it. Am I actually going to be able to get on now?" Alex asked looking between Ben and Wolf carefully. The pair nodded slowly and Alex gave a small smile. "Good."
Alex walked up the stairs quickly and pulled his bedroom door closed from the outside and crouched by the bannister silently. He could hear footsteps from the kitchen and he waited, holding the ice pack to his cheek.
"Is he always that calm?" Alex smirked when Wolf's voice drifted up the stairs.
"It's annoying right?"
Alex gave a silent huff of laughter before he padded back to his room and eased the door open silently. He pushed it closed after him and settled himself back in front of his desk. He picked up the pencil he'd thrown down not thirty minutes before and forced his mind back onto his English literature course work.